According to the dermatologist, a base tan does not provide you the protection you probably think it does.

"We like to talk about the myth of the base tan when we talk about tanning beds,” said Dr. Doppelt. “The reason is that really a tanning bed, when you go and get a tan there, it's going to give you an SPF of about three to five."

Think of it like this, when you go to the drug store to buy a bottle of sunscreen, you're likely to buy one with a SPF of at least 15, not three or five, so that should be weighed against the ultraviolet rays you're exposing yourself to.

Dermatologists and the tanning industry have long been at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to tanning bed safety.

One alternative is the tanning booth, or spray on tan that provides color without the safety issues.

Both sides do agree that indoor tanning is very popular.

On an average day, more than a million Americans patronize the nation's 50,000 tanning salons, totaling more than 28 million indoor tanning clients each year in the US alone.

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